


Missing Pieces

by Naphyla



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: M/M, Silly drunk fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 11:16:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13075731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naphyla/pseuds/Naphyla
Summary: He can’t help but feel like he was missing something. He wasn’t wrong.





	Missing Pieces

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The Librarina (tears_of_nienna)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tears_of_nienna/gifts).



> After rewatching Tiger & Bunny, I literally thought to myself "why haven't Kotetsu and Barnaby gotten together yet - they're practically a married couple." This fic was born from more or less that idea. 
> 
> A big thanks to G for making sure that the story made sense! Any remaining mistakes are entirely mine.

He wakes up to a sand-dry throat and a headache that threatens to set his skull ablaze. His eyes linger over the crisp white walls and tall ceiling aimlessly, before recognizing the minimalistic décor as his own. Clarity slowly emerges from the haze of confusion and his memories start to fall into place.

They had just finished dealing with all the paperwork for their reinstatement to First League and were about to leave Apollon Media headquarters when their fellow heroes burst into the office with streamers and banners. Before he knew it, he ended up at a bar and Nathan was ordering everyone a round of drinks. He was hesitant at first; he had never been comfortably with the idea of hanging out in large groups outside of work, least of all getting drinks. Besides, his only experience with alcohol were the few ceremonial sips of wine he’s obligated to drink at galas and events.

But he didn’t have the heart to ruin the celebration – Kotetsu’s return as his partner and to the team of heroes in First League. And from the looks of what Nathan had ordered him, it was a glass of champagne. He didn’t see the harm in taking just a few sips.

He hadn’t expected his drink to be so potent. Neither did he expect for it to kick in so hard and so quickly.

The later half of the night was more or less a blur, saved for a few vague moments here and there. As the alcohol strummed a pleasant buzz inside his head, he remembered only the touch of bony knuckles and calloused skin against his fingertips; and being too hot inside his own skin, as if something unsuspecting was going to leap from his chest at any moment—

The ringing alarm jolts him from his daze. He fights against the throbbing pain in his head and gets ready for the day.

 

He catches Kotetsu at the coffee stand on his way to the office. The older man was practically dumping sugar into his cup. 

“How much sugar are you planning on putting in your coffee? For an old man you sure have a sweet tooth.” His partner visibly starts and only barely manages to save his spilling drink. “You might need to start watching your diet if you want to keep that figure of yours.”

“You don’t need to say the same thing to me twice in a row,” his partner says, flustered as he reaches for his stomach self-consciously.

“What do you mean, twice in a row?” Barnaby didn’t remember commenting on his proclivity for sweets yesterday.

“Never mind that! The point is that I’m going to get plenty of opportunities to workout on the job now we’re back in First League! Come on, go get your coffee. We’ve got a long day ahead of us!”

He wonders if the world is being particularly cruel to him today when a man more than ten years his age is running up the stairs in excitement after a night out drinking, while he is still dealing with the aftermaths of his hangover.

 

It’s midday when he realizes that he’s misplaced his ring. He recalls having worn it to the office yesterday, and checks his drawers where he leaves them sometimes before heading to the gym. Not there. He checks his pockets, and still nothing. By the time he’s checked his locker at the gym, he was at a loss.

“What’s the matter? You’ve been rummaging through your stuff all day,” Kotetsu asks as he switches into his gym gear.

“Trying to remember where I misplaced my ring. I know I had it with me yesterday…”

“Oh!” The older man reaches into his trouser pockets and pulls out a black ring. “Here. You left it with me at the bar yesterday.” For some reason he looked slightly embarrassed.

“Thank goodness I didn’t lose it. I really liked this ring,” he said, carefully tucking it into his zipped coat pocket. “This is a bit belated, but thanks for taking care of me last night.”

“Oh, hah. Um, yeah. No worries! First time for everything right!” Kotetsu says as he rushes to put everything in his gym locker.

He can’t help but feel like he was missing something.

 

He wasn’t wrong.

He could feel eyes on him the moment he stepped into the gym. He quickly checks his attire and nothing seems out of place. “What’s the matter?”

“You’re really quiet something, Handsome. How are you feeling?” Nathan asks with a smirk on their face as though sharing a secret between the two of them. As if on cue, the other heroes all start to gathering around the two of them.

“Terrible,” he answers, not expecting the look of shock and confusion on their face. “I haven’t thanked you yet for the hangover you gave me this morning.”

“No I wasn’t talking about that! I meant after you left with Tiger! Surely you don’t need me to spell things out for you?”

“What does Kotetsu have anything to do with it?” Out of the corner of his eye, he finds his partner running on the treadmill with his headphones on. The older man catches his eyes but quickly looks away. Is he imagining it or was the man blushing?

The room was silent saved for the humming of the treadmill machine. “Dear lord,” Nathan whisper to themself and hand a ten-dollar bill over to Antonio. “You two sure are something.”

 

Later that night, Barnaby receives a message from Nathan.

_Maybe this will help jog your memories._

It was a video clip. The camera was pointed to the floor, but he could make out Antonio’s voice in the background.

“What are you doing, Fire Emblem?”

“Getting it on tape of course! This is a once in a life time chance! Otherwise at the rate they’re going, they’d be dead before anything happened!”

“Ten bucks says you’re wrong.”

The camera moves up and Barnaby almost trips on his way up the stairs.

His former self was practically clinging to his partner, visibly agitated.

“It’s so good to have you back, Kotetsu! If I were to work with Ryan for another day I might have gone crazy! He was so arrogant. Just the worst!” He winced at his own petulance, but forged on.

“It’s alright, Bunny. I’m here now.” In an effort to cajole him, Kotetsu pulled him a bit closer and gently patted his back.

The blond clung on even harder to the older man, as if to reassure himself. “They can’t take you away again. If they make you quit then I’m quitting too.” He dragged himself up and looked his partner in the eyes. “Promise me we’ll be partners until the end of the line; until both of us are too old and they force us to retire.”

“Okay, I promise, Bunny.”

“Swear on it.”

“I swear!”

The blond in the video removed his ring from his index finger. He tried to put it on Kotetsu’s finger but missed the target by a long shot. The older man chuckled and guided his fingers towards his own, until the ring slipped on top of his wedding band. “What’s this?” Kotetsu asked, as if entertaining a child.

“I’m giving you one of my favourite things. And in exchange…” the blond pulled his partner towards him and sealed their pack with his lips. The kiss was sloppy with inexperience, but that did not seem to deter the younger man.

The bar was in uproars by this point. Even some of the guests at other tables have began taking an interest.

His former self moved away to catch his breath. “Wait Bunny, what are you—” And dived in for a second, longer kiss. The blond removed his hand from where he was clinging onto his partner’s shoulders. He traced his fingers down his body, until eventually sliding them beneath his shirt.

And stopped.

“Did you put on some weight?” His former self moved his hand towards the older man’s waist as if to confirm his theory. “You need to stop eating so much sweets! If you get sick who’s going to be my partner!”

“Okay I get it, Bunny! Sto- stop! Ahahaha that tickles!”

And the video ends there.

He pinches the bridge of his nose and contemplates calling in sick to work tomorrow.

**Author's Note:**

> Nathan ordered Barnaby Death in the Afternoon, which is Absinthe added to Champagne (I've never tried it myself but I hear it's quite potent). Also, Antonio and Nathan were betting to see if Kotetsu and Barnaby would finally get together or not.


End file.
